The former Ravensgate Arms in Ramsgate has been transformed after becoming the new venue for bar, restaurant and music business Eats n Beats.
Eats n Beats originally opened in Addington Street in 2019. It is run by music industry veterans Meredith Cork and Keith Wilkinson who created a space for a variety of gigs and interesting menus and built up a loyal following.
The music café shut at that site in March and has now relocated to King Street following the closure of the popular Ravensgate Arms in April.
Meredith, who founded Yellow Brick Music, and former Squeeze band member Keith have put their own stamp on the property, stripping out the dark wood “scrubbing, painting and polishing” and creating a new shelter and seating area in the courtyard.
Meredith said: “We have done so much to it and de-pubbified it. It had very dark furniture and dark walls so we have completely changed it up.
“There are enough pub pubs and the whole ethos of Eats n Beats was to be a place where women feel safe having a drink.
“We are really so happy here, it is such a lovely space and it is bigger with more room to host things.
“We were one of the early independents in Addington Street and we are hoping the same energy will come to King Street and build confidence and businesses.
“We’ve made friends with everyone here and we are looking forward to the Ramsgate Day event so we can do some fun things and get involved.
“We built a downstairs kitchen which we are running service from now and upstairs we have a kitchen that we need to do a bit of work on but hope to have going by the end of November.
“There will be smart dining upstairs and casual dining downstairs, a bar upstairs, live music on both levels. We will still do our poetry nights and there are daytime acting classes upstairs so there is that community vibe for anyone who wants to use that space for free.
“We are also doing an exhibition in collaboration with Hold, Sam Brothers is here playing on Friday (September 22) so there is lots going on.”
Meredith says property owner Graham Lawrence has been “very supportive” and says new business partner and retired builder David Edge is “a saint!”
She added: “The community support we have had has been phenomenal. We raised £5,000 in crowdfunding which has gone into this place in its entirety. We have new signs coming in a couple of weeks, the wifi is now in and our coffee machine from Italy arrives on Friday.
“We are also really looking forward to being able to use the fireplace.”
Eats n Beats had a soft opening earlier this month and the venue is currently displaying work by isle artist Peter Rackley.
Opening hours are Thursday / Friday 5pm-10pm
Saturday 10:30am-10pm and Sunday 10:30am – 4pm (ish)
Find Eats n Beats on facebook here
The former venue in Addington Street is now called Sea Bird and run by Ramsgate resident Damian Williams.
Dirtee Feast, which traded from the Ravensgate, has relocated to Churchill’s Tavern at The Paragon.
I’m glad that they’ve created a space where women will feel safe.
It will complement the many other of Ramsgate’s pubs frequented by women, presumably feeling safe.
Honeysuckle, Montefiore Arms, Elephant and Castle, Red Lion, Horse and Groom, Hovelling Boat, Queen Charlotte, The Pub, the Churchil Tavern, Artillery Arms, Bedford Inn ….
Define “women”. Most lefties can’t.
Personally I find the new look boring and predictable. Why does everywhere have bare floor boards and bare light bulbs these days?!
Eats and beats was the one place I felt comfortable to go when I first moved here, even if it was the other side of town. I would always be welcome whether alone or with friends,for a full evening with food or just a coffee. I have not visited every place you have listed but several and can assure you that I have NOT felt as comfortable elsewhere. Meridith and Keith have created a great venue in eats and beats, regardless of location.
Ms Quot- “Eats and Beats” does not sound as if it’s ever been anything but a restaurant which sells alcohol. You’re right about Ramsgate having quite a lot of pubs where women feel comfortable.
Totally agree with you! There are plenty of pubs in Ramsgate where I feel completely safe drinking as a woman. I also felt very safe in The Ravensgate, dark wood and all!
you cant polish a turd
Peter Checksfield is getting more and more rude. And his comments are also becoming more and more bizarre.
Are you hallucinating?
And yet you brush your teeth?
Probably irrelevant but Keith was a decent inclusion in the Squeeze and prior Difford and Tilbrook line-ups for something like 15 years. His track True Colours is a highlight for me on the Some Fantastic Place album.
It’s lovely going back to Eat’s n’ Beats again and at their new venue. They have transformed it nicely, it gives a lovely,relaxing atmosphere. I have always loved their food and the live music they have put on, and looking forward to seeing the live music again.
Really pleased Eats and Beats is back in another guise, as are their numerous regulars!
This is good news and the venue looks great, too!
No mention of whats on the menu though, I would like to see some traditional English food, roasts, Shepherds pie, liver and bacon etc, but I suppose it will be burgers again, with chips!
I did glance at the menu this morning as I walked past.
Sauté potatoes, but no chips mentioned.
The menu is readily available on Facebook if you care to look rather than make stupid assumptions . You will find it both interesting and enlightening; not a burger in sight !
Not everyone is on facebook. Why don’t they have a website like professional businesses do?
Whats a Facebook? I don’t even have a mobile phone, and just recently Age UK reported some 3 million over 65’s do not have access to the Internet, and probably don’t want to!
This is great.
A pork pie would be nice.
Or a pasty.
Some of the pubs mentioned are quite blokey
Would like to say some names but they know who they are.
They’ll be the ones on the west side of town then.
Did they ever pay the landlord of its previous venue the (alleged) rent owed before they left?
Asking for a landlord friend.